-She feels it, and her pangs are checked.1
But now, as silently she paced

The turf, and thought by thought was chased,
Came One who, with sedate respect,
Approached, and, greeting her, thus spake ;2
"An old man's privilege I take :

Dark is the time-a woeful day!
Dear daughter of affliction, say
How can I serve you? point the way.'

"Rights have you, and may well be bold:
You with my Father have grown old
In friendship-strive for his sake go-
Turn from us all the coming woe: 3
This would I beg; but on my mind
A passive stillness is enjoined

Hope," said the old Man, " must abide

With all of us, whate'er betide.1

In Craven's Wilds is many a den,
To shelter persecuted men :

Far under ground is many a cave,
Where they might lie as in the grave,

Until this storm hath ceased to rave: 2
Or let them cross the River Tweed,

And be at once from peril freed!"

"Ah tempt me not!" she faintly sighed ;
"I will not counsel nor exhort,
With my condition satisfied;

But you, at least, may make report
Of what befals;-be this your task-
This may be done;-'tis all I ask!"

She spake and from the Lady's sight
The Sire, unconscious of his age,
Departed promptly as a Page

Bound on some errand of delight.

-The noble Francis-wise as brave,
Thought he, may want not skill to save.3
With hopes in tenderness concealed,
Unarmed he followed to the field;
Him will I seek the insurgent Powers
Are now besieging Barnard's Towers,-

"Grant that the moon which shines this night
May guide them in a prudent flight!"

"Hope," said the Sufferer's zealous Friend, "Must not forsake us till the end.

1815.

But quick the turns of chance and change, And knowledge has a narrow range;

Whence idle fears, and needless pain,

And wishes blind, and efforts vain.-
The Moon may shine, but cannot be
Their guide in flight already she1
Hath witnessed their captivity.

She saw the desperate assault
Upon that hostile castle made ;-
But dark and dismal is the vault

Where Norton and his sons are laid!

Disastrous issue-he had said

"This night yon faithless Towers must yield,2

Or we for ever quit the field.
-Neville is utterly dismayed,

For promise fails of Howard's aid ;
And Dacre to our call replies

That he is unprepared to rise.

My heart is sick;-this weary pause
Must needs be fatal to our cause.3
The breach is open-on the wall,

This night the Banner shall be planted!"
-'Twas done: his Sons were with him-all ;
They belt him round with hearts undaunted,
And others follow ;-Sire and Son
Leap down into the court;-" "Tis won
They shout aloud-but Heaven decreed
That with their joyful shout should close

1 1836.

The triumph of a desperate deed 1

Which struck with terror friends and foes
The friend shrinks back-the foe recoils
From Norton and his filial band ;
But they, now caught within the toils,
Against a thousand cannot stand ;-
The foe from numbers courage drew,
And overpowered that gallant few.
"A rescue for the Standard!" cried
The Father from within the walls;
But, see, the sacred Standard falls !—
Confusion through the Camp spread wide : 2
Some fled; and some their fears detained:
But ere the Moon had sunk to rest
In her pale chambers of the west
Of that rash levy nought remained.

Canto Fifth.

HIGH on a point of rugged ground
Among the wastes of Rylstone Fell
Above the loftiest ridge or mound
Where foresters or shepherds dwell,
An edifice of warlike frame

Stands single-Norton Tower its name

1

1836.

They shout aloud-but Heaven decreed

Another close

To that brave deed

*

* "It is so called to this day, and is thus described by Dr Whitaker. 'Rylstone Fell yet exhibits a monument of the old warfare between the Nortons and Cliffords. On a point of very high ground, commanding an

It fronts all quarters and looks round
O'er path and road, and plain and dell,
Dark moor, and gleam of pool and stream
Upon a prospect without bound.

The summit of this bold ascent-
Though bleak and bare, and seldom free 1
As Pendle-hill or Pennygent

From wind, or frost, or vapours wet-
Had often heard the sound of glee
When there the youthful Nortons met,
To practice games and archery :
How proud and happy they! the crowd
Of Lookers-on how pleased and proud!
And from the scorching noon-tide sun,2
From showers, or when the prize was won,
They to the Tower withdrew, and there
Would mirth run round, with generous fare;
And the stern old Lord of Rylstone-hall,
Was happiest, proudest, of them all !4

immense prospect, and protected by two deep ravines, are the remains of a square tower, expressly said by Dodsworth to have been built by Richard Norton. The walls are of strong grout-work, about four feet thick. It seems to have been three stories high. Breaches have been industriously made in all the sides, almost to the ground, to render it untenable.

'But Norton Tower was probably a sort of pleasure-house in summer, as there are, adjoining to it, several large mounds (two of them are pretty entire), of which no other account can be given than that they were butts for large companies of archers.

'The place is savagely wild, and admirably adapted to the uses of a watch-tower.'"-W. W. 1815.